As a conventional lever switch device, there is a lever switch device shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing an assembling relation of a lever switch device, and FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the periphery of a switch unit of the lever switch device.
A lever switch device 101 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is designed to issue electric controlling instructions and includes, for example, functions of a turn signal switch, a flash-to-pass switch, a main beam and dipped beam switching or dimmer switch and a wiper and washer switch.
The lever switch device 101 includes a control lever 103 and a switch unit 105, and the switch unit 105 is mounted on a body 106 side which is fixed to a steering column 104.
The control lever 103 includes a first, second, and third levers 109, 107, 111.
The first lever 109 has a rotary knob 112 which is fixed to one end and a first control rod 113 which is mounted at the other end side thereof. The second lever 107 has a stationary knob 114 which is mounted at one end and a click element supporting tube 115 which is integrally formed at the other end thereof. A second control rod 117 is provided on the click member supporting tube 115.
The third lever 111 is disposed rotatably on an outer circumferential side of the first lever 109 and includes a third control rod 119 at a distal end side thereof.
In addition, the lever switch device 101 includes a click spring 121 and a click element 123.
In the switch unit 105, a movable element 127 is disposed within a case 125 and is supported rotatably by a shaft 127a. A fourth control rod 129 is provided on this movable element 127. The first lever 109 is supported rotatably on the movable element 127 by a shaft 107a. A pole plate 131 is disposed in a lower portion of the case 125. A plurality of fixed contacts are provided on an upper surface side of the pole plate 131. A first movable plate 133, a second movable plate 135, a third movable plate 137 and a fourth movable plate 139 are disposed on the pole plate 131. The first, third and fourth movably plates 133, 137, 139 are disposed in a direction which intersects a lever axis of the control lever 103 (in FIG. 11, in a direction which is at right angles to a surface of a sheet of paper on which FIG. 11 is drawn) so as to move rectilinearly. The second movable plate 135 is disposed in the direction of the lever axis (in FIG. 11, in a left-to-right direction) so as to move rectilinearly.
Headlamps are turned on and off by rectilinear movements of the first movable plate 133. The headlamps are switched between main beams and dipped beams and are turned on for flash-to-pass sign by rectilinear movements of the second movable plate 135. Fog lamps are turned on and off by rectilinear movements of the third movable plate 137. Direction indicator lamps are turned on to flash by rectilinear movements of the fourth movable plate 139.
Engagement portions 141, 143, 145 are provided on the first, third and fourth movable plates 133, 137, 139 so as to cause the first, second, third and fourth movable plates 133, 135, 137, 139 to move rectilinearly, and a hole portion 147 is provided in the second movable plate 135.
Additionally, for example, when the first lever 109 is controlled to turn on its axis by controlling the rotary knob 112, the first control rod 113 is caused to move in a linked fashion. The first control rod 113 imparts an engaging force to the engagement portion 141, whereby the first movable plate 133 moves in the lever axis intersecting direction. By this movement, the headlamps are turned on and off. The movement of the third movable plate 137 as a result of rotational control of the third lever 111 on its axis is similar.
The second movable plate 135 moves rectilinearly in the lever axis direction via the second control rod 117 when the control lever 103 is controlled to swing about the shaft 107a to switch the headlamps between the main beams and the dipped beams and to turn on the headlamps to give a flash-to-pass sign.
As this occurs, the first control rod 113 and the third control rod 119 move in directions which follow the engagement portions 141, 143, and therefore, the first and third movable plates 133, 137 do not move.
The fourth movable plate 139 moves rectilinearly in the lever axis intersecting direction via the fourth control rod 129 when the control lever 103 is controlled to swing about the shaft 127a to flash the direction indicator lamps.
As this occurs, the first and third control rods 113, 119 move in the direction which intersects the surface of the sheet of paper at right angles in which the first and third control rods 113, 119 are brought into engagement with the engagement portions 141, 143. However, clearance is set for the engagement portions 141, 143 in the same direction, whereby the first and third control rods 113, 119 are not brought into engagement with the engagement portions 141, 143, and therefore, the first and third movable plates 133, 137 do not move.
In this way, the various lever controls can be performed smoothly.
In the construction that has been described heretofore, however, a large distance has to be ensured between the axial center of the shaft 127a and the third control rod 119 which is disposed rearwards in the lever axis direction so as for them to be spaced apart largely in order to avoid the interference of the first control rod 113 and the third control rod 119 with the third movable plate 137 (the engagement portion 143), the first movable plate 133 (the engagement portion 141), respectively, which occurs when the control lever 103 is controlled to swing about the shaft 107a. 
This causes a problem that a width of the switch unit 105 in the lever axis direction is increased.
Further, when the control lever 103 is controlled to swing about the shaft 127a, a distance over which the third control rod 119 moves rectilinearly in the lever axis intersecting direction (in the direction which intersects the surface of the sheet of paper at right angles) becomes larger by such an extent that the third control rod 119 is spaced away from the axial center of the shaft 127a than when the third control rod 119 is disposed adjacent to the axial center of the shaft 127a. 
Because of this, a distance between the position where the third control rod 119 moves and the position where a fixed contact is disposed which is connected to and disconnected from the third movable plate 137 which is actuated as a result of rotational control of the third lever 111 is increased so that the two positions are spaced far apart by such an extent that the third control rod 119 is spaced apart from the axial center of the shaft 127a. Thus, there is possibility that the contact action of the third movable plate 137 by the rotational control of the third lever 111 is not brought about in a stable fashion.
Then, in order to ensure the contact action of the third movable plate 137 by the rotational control of the third lever 111, it is considered that the third control rod 119 is extended to ensure the moving distance of the third movable plate 137. However, in case this configuration is adopted, there is caused a problem that the height of the switch unit 105 in a vertical direction in FIG. 11 is increased.